Need to know a secret?
A variety of AI-generated content material is best than authentic writing by people. I’ve edited 1000’s of articles and thousands and thousands of phrases, and I’ve reviewed much more.
And but, some organizations nonetheless need to use AI detectors to see if AI created the content material. They’re anticipating that “gotcha” second to verify that the assigned human didn’t create it.
Frankly, it’s a fruitless effort paying homage to the keyword-stuffing debate 15 years in the past. Like as we speak, the dialog centered on the tactic somewhat than the end result. I had one consumer who offered microsites loaded with key phrase content material, promising greater search rankings. “Don’t be concerned about anybody studying it,” they advised the consumer. “That is not the purpose.”
AI’s position in writing isn’t the issue. The true drawback is the content material — and the judgment of the one that submitted it. AI simply exponentially elevated the quantity of mediocre content material.
Happily, that’s an issue that may be solved: edit higher.
Deal with AI as one other author
Are you able to determine the byline simply by studying the content material?
Once I labored as a newspaper editor, I may take a look at my modifying queue and inform you how my shift would go. Some bylines introduced delight as a result of I may crank them out rapidly. Others introduced dread as a result of I knew a rewrite would be needed.
AI is solely one other author in your stables. Nevertheless, this author can also be within the secure of each different entity on the market. So, you should use your modifying powers to make this author’s content material work on your model. I divide it into two modifying phases: strategic and line.
Strategic modifying
This stage requires reflection, not a crimson pen: Assess the context of the content material.
Analyze the angle
Ought to this content material have a viewpoint, or ought to it’s goal?
If it’s goal, this assessment is transient: Guarantee all of the content material is precisely attributed and a number of views are included to make sure that each one or most “sides” are represented.
If it’s point-of-view content, the evaluation is that this: Does this piece articulate a place or perspective? Are you aware what the bylined creator believes, thinks, or recommends?
AI writers typically craft a viewpoint or skilled content material poorly as a result of they aren’t within the skilled’s thoughts. (It’s a problem confronted by human ghostwriters, too, once they don’t discuss to the specialists.)
Within the absence of expert-provided perception, AI writers have a tendency to provide milquetoast or middle-of-the-road content material. Certain, the viewers will perceive the AI author’s content material, however they gained’t see your model as a go-to supply for distinctive views or reliable opinions.
Get particular
AI writers generally succumb to the lazier aspect of human writers: They go for generic when specifics could be higher. Merely put, present, don’t inform.
For instance, take this article a few Content material Advertising World presentation on structured information for AI reply engines from Caerley McShane and Martha van Berkel.
I wrote, “Being referenced as a trusted supply influences model consciousness, notion, and belief even when customers by no means click on by to your website.”
I may have left it at that assertion, however I added specifics from the presentation:
SAP measured that affect. Between 2024 and 2025, SAP noticed visitors from LLMs develop 168%. LLM-referred guests stay a small slice of SAP’s whole visitors, however their habits is extra helpful. They’re extra engaged and twice as prone to convert.
The numbers assist the reader imagine the primary assertion about “being referenced as a trusted supply.”
If information isn’t related to the content material, take into consideration including examples or anecdotes. They work effectively, too.
Evaluation for intent
Your AI author may not be programmed to acknowledge that this content material serves a enterprise objective or has a target market. So, assessment for relevance. Don’t simply do a fast overview, concluding with a “Yep, the title would entice the folks we need to attain.” Dig into the small print:
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Does it embrace a recent perspective or angle? AI writers have a tendency to choose probably the most direct path to a solution, forgoing any nuances or particular concerns.
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Does it work for the target market’s expertise stage? AI writers are infamous for oversimplifying ideas in order that an skilled particular person finds them too fundamental or inadequate to essentially assist them deal with the subject.
Line modifying
Along with your AI author’s content material in good strategic form, you possibly can flip to line or copy modifying. This stage will doubtless be probably the most time-consuming as a result of it presents probably the most areas for enchancment.
Keep away from phrases used too incessantly
Enhancing the identical writers over time has allowed me to acknowledge their preferences for sure phrases. (Shoutout to my favourite CMI author who loves, “Merely put …”)
AI isn’t any totally different, besides it writes for lots extra folks. Take into account this stat: CMI’s recent B2B research finds 89% of entrepreneurs say they use AI instruments for producing or optimizing advertising copy/written content material. And that’s simply B2B entrepreneurs. Multiply that throughout all advertising sectors, plus different enterprise and private use, and that’s a variety of the identical phrases and phrases.
You most likely already pare overused phrases and phrases in your human-written content material. Redouble your effort with AI writers. After all, that requires you to know AI’s most popular phrases. As somebody who reads on-line content material, that shouldn’t be too exhausting. But when it’s useful, preserve an inventory of overused phrases and once you spot them within the wild, add them to it. Right here’s a head begin: “Uncover,” “unlock,” and “be taught” go on the high of that listing.
Although AI writers are enhancing, they have a tendency to repeat a phrase a number of occasions in a sentence or paragraph. Right here’s an instance created in ChatGPT on the subject of AI detectors:
Nevertheless, AI detectors are usually not all the time dependable instruments. These instruments can produce false positives and false negatives, which implies the instruments might not all the time precisely detect AI-generated content material.
You’ll discover the phrase “instruments” pops up 3 times in two sentences. Search for that type of repetition and repair it. Right here’s my edit that reduces “instruments” to a single use and deletes some extraneous phrases, too.
Nevertheless, AI detectors are usually not all the time dependable instruments. They will produce false positives and false negatives, which implies precisely detecting AI-generated content material isn’t attainable.
Lower, lower, and lower once more
AI writers, like many human writers, are verbose. In any case, why write one thing in 10 phrases when 30 will do?
An editor wants to make use of the delete button judiciously however incessantly. Eradicate the necessity for multi-word passive buildings by using active verbs, for instance. Take away adjectives that don’t additional the content material. For instance, “25 totally different international locations” and “25 international locations” imply the identical factor. Eliminate “totally different” as typically as attainable.
Right here’s a verbose sentence from ChatGPT:
That’s as a result of they depend on patterns — predictability, phrasing, construction — that may overlap with each sturdy human writing and well-edited AI output.
Right here’s my edited model that removes “that’s as a result of,” “each,” and “can”:
They depend on patterns — predictability, phrasing, construction — that overlap with sturdy human writing and well-edited AI output.
Make the voice extra distinctive
When you might need to retain the voice of your human author, you don’t need to retain the voice of the AI author as a result of it sounds the identical all over the place else, too.
So, flip the AI voice into your personal:
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Reduce or delete clichés. Do that regardless of who or what does the writing. Clichés could also be correct, however they’re clichés as a result of they’re overused.
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Use a number of cadences and patterns throughout your content material. People typically choose writing patterns and types, however they know to not do it in every bit. Editors have to be the differentiator for AI writing as a result of it tends to comply with an identical sample time after time.
Rent editors and coach your AI writers
AI writers can work on your model, however solely if in case you have good editors to make their content material work effectively. In any other case, the tip content material product will disappear into the ocean of sameness as your viewers scrolls to brisker angles, higher copy, and extra useful solutions.
editor can even assist your AI (and human) writers enhance with this post-editing step: Undergo the before-and-after variations of the content material and clarify why each change was made. (Or, in case you’re quick on time, submit the before-and-after to the AI author and ask it to take time to assessment it.) Solely then can they learn to do it higher.
And that’s the actual secret: Don’t decide content material by “who” created it. Decide it by the outcomes achieved after an editor transforms it on your viewers and model.
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